Ode to Proposed Roundabout

by Bill Lussenheide, Florence

Behold, the great roundabout, a ten-million-dollar spree,

Where engineers conspired with Vision Zero’s decree.

A circle of confusion on Highway Ninety-Three,

Where logic took a detour—did they even ask we?

A traffic light, they scoffed, “That’s too mundane!”

“Why spend a million when we can spend ten?”—insane!

They sold us on safety, or so they proclaimed,

But the crashes will shift—different wrecks, just renamed.

The people of Ravalli, with common sense galore,

Signed petitions by the thousands, shouting, “No more!”

But the planners, bless their hearts, ignored the local cry,

“Who cares what locals think? We’ve got funds to justify!”

The engineers, with furrowed brows and a map in hand,

Admit the crashes won’t stop, just shift to different land.

A fender-bender here, a sideswipe there,

But who needs a simple light when chaos is in the air?

So let’s celebrate progress, as dollars swirl the drain,

In a roundabout that brings us only pain.

For in the end, what’s ten million to spend?

When all we needed was a light and some common sense, my friend.